Simon Browne-Wilkinson QC

Bar
1981

QC
1998

Main areas of expertise include:

  • All areas of commercial law
  • International Arbitration
  • Fraud
  • Professional Negligence
  • Insurance and Reinsurance
  • Employment
  • Banking
  • Private and Public International Law

Appointments:

Recorder

Past member of the Professional Conduct Committee of the Bar Council

Cases of note:

Public international law:

2005 acted for the Government of India in multi-million dollar arbitration pursuant to a bilateral investment treaty

Advised in relation to sovereign immunity issues.

Arbitration:

Acted for Electronic Arts SA in an ICC arbitration relating to Italian distribution rights.

Acted for Government of India in an UNCITRAL arbitration pursuant to a bilateral investment treaty - against Bechtel, Enron and GEC relating to the Dabhol Power Plant.

Acted for Nigerian telecoms company in two arbitrations relating to a management agreement and call charges.

Gave evidence as an expert witness on English law in a Stockholm arbitration relating to an oil supply agreement.

Gave evidence as an expert on English Arbitration law in proceedings in India relating to an aircraft lease.

REcent reported cases in UK Commercial Court concerning arbitration.

Econet Wireless Ltd v. Vee Networks Ltd (discharge of injunction granted to support an arbitration).

Vee Networks Ltd. V. ESS (jurisdiction of arbitrators to consider a defence of set off).

Vee Networks Ltd v. EWI (award set aside on the grounds of unfairness in the conduct of an arbitration).

REcent cases in Aviation:

Gatewhite Limited v. Iberia, and Holmes v. Bangladesh Biman Corporation (House of Lords).

Banking & finance:

Lloyds Bank v.Rosset

Box and Others v. Barclays Bank, Israel Bank (in liquidation)

REcent cases in Property:

Prestige Properties Limited v. Scottish Provident Institution (the operation of the Land Registration Act).

Lloyds Bank v. Rosset (constructive trusts and overriding interests).

Civil fraud:

2005 and 2006, obtained the discharge of search and seize and worldwide freezing orders on the ground of non-disclosure, and the discharge of an injunction preventing the completion of a billion dollar transaction on the ground of non-disclosure.

2006, acted for Nigerian telecoms company in a very substantial arbitration concerning allegations of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty.

2005, Government of India in a multi-million dollar arbitration against Bechtel, Enron and GEC involving allegations of fraud.

REcent cases on fraud:

R. v. Central Criminal Court Ex.p Guney (House of Lords)

Simon Engineering Plc v. Butte Mining

Ernst & Young v. Butte Mining

Hornsby v. Clark

Kenneth Leventhal, GDVC v. Koshy

Box v Barclays Bank

Commercial litigation:

Government of Sierra Leone v. Davenport (contempt)

Stock v. London Underground (construction)

Professional negligence:

Acted for Freshfields in Paragon Finance Plc v. Freshfields (professional negligence and privilege)

What people say:

“Many solicitors highlight him as being their “first port of call due to his fantastic client handling skills, understanding of knotty fraud issues and his proactiveness.” Chambers & Partners (2008)